


(They don't) Love Me Like You

by burnintoash (funnymorning)



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Magic, Nominated for laziest summary ever, post-disbandment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-05
Updated: 2019-02-05
Packaged: 2019-10-22 18:58:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17668277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funnymorning/pseuds/burnintoash
Summary: Jihoon gets cursed.





	(They don't) Love Me Like You

The one thing Jihoon hates about this is the crying. Not the actual physical act of crying per say, but rather, the confusing moments where he has no idea what to do or say to comfort the person who is crying in front of him. Plus, he is a very easy second-hand crier and if the girl in front of him does not stop sobbing, he is going to tear up soon too, even if he truly believes (but will never say out loud) that she is crying for dumb reasons. 

 

“I am really sorry, Jihoonie.” She sobs into her palm and Jihoon shakes his head at one of the staff who has been eyeing the girl in front of him ever since her face crumpled in front of him a minute ago. “We really tried!”

 

“I know.” Jihoon says to her. “And I really cannot thank you enough for it. You tried your best and that’s ok.”

 

“We should have done more to get you that win!”

 

“It is not important.” It kind of was, if Jihoon is being honest, but he is not going to cry over not winning a music show immediately on his debut. It was a nice-to-have in their debut projections. He hits the company’s target on the physicals and charting, overshoots their estimations even and that’s enough. It is nobody’s fault that established groups decided to come back around the time of his debut. “I am just really happy that you guys can listen to my music that I really worked hard on!”

 

“I will make sure everyone loves you like you deserve to be.” The girl says with extreme determination, and Jihoon gets a little scared, to be honest. He kind of knows her - not her name or anything personal like that because he has always been very clear on drawing the line, but it is hard to not recognize a face that has been showing up consistently ever since Produce. Which is also why he turns to the staff trying to reach to the fan, probably to move her out, and mouths a  _ no.  _

 

“Thank you. I will also work harder to be someone who everyone can love.” He replies and hands back the album that he has finished signing a few minutes back.

 

“Can I …” the girl says and reaches down into her bag. “.. give you a gift?”

 

“Yeah, sure.” Jihoon blinks. His fansigns normally do not have any gift restriction policy and he is pretty sure she knows this, so he doesn’t even know why she is asking. 

 

“Here,” she takes out an energy drink that Jihoon has been modelling for a few weeks and pushes it towards him. “I bought two crates worth of them, and I really didn’t have any time today to grab you any good gift.”

 

“It is fine.” Jihoon smiles at her and takes the small bottle. “Thank you. I am actually pretty tired.”

 

He opens the sealed cap, and gulps down the drink that still tastes like shit. But he makes sure to turn and smile towards the multiple cameras flashing off the stage, with the small drink bottle next to his face.  _ God bless Capitalism _ .

 

He can also practically feel the disapproving glare from his manager even though manager hyung is standing right behind Jihoon. He is not supposed to eat or drink anything fans give to him, but whatever, he wants one of his long-time fans to stop crying and he also have a CF contract that he would very much like to extend. 

 

“Thank you, Jihoonie!” The girl wipes at her tears and smiles so wide and it makes Jihoon feels like she is the Cheshire cat and he is the lost Alice. “Everyone will love you. I promise. It is what you deserve.”

 

_ That will make life a lot easier.  _ Jihoon thinks to himself and waves her goodbye, getting himself ready to face the next 50 people that are still in line. 

 

* * *

 

“Will you stop looking me like I am gonna drop dead?” Jihoon grunts and closes the car door. 

 

Jongmin, his manager, just shakes his head and climbs into the driver seat, but then he leans over the car seat to face Jihoon. 

 

“Are you sure nothing feels wrong? Even small discomfort?”

 

“Oh my god, hyung!” Jihoon groans. “It was a sealed drink that I am advertising, and I am pretty sure my fans are not trying to poison me!”

 

“You never know that, Jihoon!” Jongmin says sternly, and Jihoon shrinks into himself a little. It is kind of scary when Jongmin puts that stern parental tone, not gonna lie. “There’s a reason we have rules in the first place. It is to protect  _ you _ !”

 

“I am sorry, alright?” Jihoon mumbles. “She was already crying and I feel bad saying no to a simple thing like that.”

 

“It is never a simple thing.”

 

“I said I am sorry.” Jihoon pouts. “What do you want me to do? Go to ER and get my stomach pumped?”

 

“Don’t be a brat.” Jongmin turns back, turning the car keys. “And don’t do it again or we will have to get your fansigns even more restricted.”

 

“I hate you.” Jihoon mutters and kicks at the back of the seat a little. 

 

“I know, kid.” Jongmin winks at him through the rearview mirror and Jihoon sticks his tongue out before shoving his earphones into his ears. He is having a rare night off and he is not going to start off his precious night off by getting into an argument with his manager. 

 

He does feel a little lightheaded as he exits the car when they get back to his place, but Jihoon is pretty sure that’s the diet talking and not the energy drink. But, Jongmin is looking over at him curiously so Jihoon gathers himself and walks steadfastly into the lift. 

 

“Sujin said she dropped off your dinner earlier.” Jongmin says and Jihoon groans internally. Sujin is his trainer-slash-nutritionist and she had put him on a low carb, low sodium diet ever since the debut has started. Jihoon can see and appreciate the resulting factors on his factor but he also honestly believes that he is going to die if he still cannot eat a single piece of kimchi within the next month. “And tomorrow, I will …”

 

Jongmin trails off, just staring vacantly into Jihoon’s eyes and Jihoon blinks, before snapping his fingers in front of his stunned manager. “Hyung? Are you ok?”

 

“Yes,” Jongmin seems to shake himself off of whatever stupor he has fallen into and continues. “Yes, yes. Like I was saying, I will pick you up at 6 in the morning to go to the salon so make sure to set your alarm properly. Don’t stay up too late playing games.”

 

“I thought the photoshoot was at 8?” Jihoon talks out loud while exiting the lift. “Do I really need 2 hours at the salon?”

 

“That’s what the photographer asked, but I personally don’t think you need to. You are pretty as it is. Your really are.”

 

“Erm?” Jihoon blinks at his manager suddenly waxing poetics about his … prettiness. “Thanks?”

 

“Your eyes really sparkle like the stars, do you know that?”

 

“You are being weird, hyung.” Jihoon laughs a little and stops in front of his apartment, keying in the code. 

 

“Jihoon…” Jongmin calls, almost a whine. “... Jihoonie. I like you a lot. You know that, right?”

 

“Erm, ok.” Jihoon nods and slips inside through the door, closing it immediately. “Goodbye. See you tomorrow.”

 

“Can I stay over tonight?” Jongmin asks through the closed door and Jihoon frowns because he is being really weird. 

 

“No. You told me you had a date.”

 

“She is not important!”

 

“She is your newly wed wife!” Jihoon splutters. “Go, hyung. I will see you in the morning.”

 

“If you want me to go, I will go.” Jongmin says like he is longsuffering … really though … what the heck … “I will see you in the morning. I can’t wait, Jihoonie!”

 

“Weirdo.” Jihoon mumbles and turns the lights on in the living room.

 

He is feeling like something is missing until he realizes that the usual ball of fur tripping over himself to come and sniff at Jihoon’s feet is nowhere to be found. 

 

He doesn’t leave Max at home too much by himself especially when he has long schedules, because Max tends to go out of his tiny little mind every time Jihoon disappears. So, there could only be one reason why Max isn’t all over the place, greeting Jihoon by trying to lick the skin of his ankle like usual.

 

That reason is lying asleep on Jihoon’s bed amidst the darkness as if it is his own bedroom, and Max, the traitor to his own father, barely glances at Jihoon with a soft whine when Jihoon turns the lights on, before dropping his head back onto Woojin’s falling and rising chest. 

 

“You two look cozy, huh?” Jihoon comments and roughly plops down onto the bed, almost crashing Woojin’s bare legs. “You little brat.”

 

Max at least has the sense to hop over onto Jihoon’s thighs with cute little whines as if Jihoon is just gonna give him pets and scratches even though he didn’t even bother to come greet Jihoon …. Ok, who is he kidding? Max is getting all the pets and scratches he wants - he is too fucking cute.

 

“You are here?” Woojin asks, voice deep and scratchy with sleep and Jihoon hates hearing that voice. It reminds him of mornings that he wants to forget and things that are not around him any longer. 

 

“I didn’t give you the code to my room so you can come in and steal my dog.”

 

“Not my fault you left our baby all day at home. Also, Max likes me better, don’t you, baby? Look at you. You are the cutest baby.” Woojin coos to Max, head bent down so Jihoon can get a full glimpse of his messy hair, and Max happily nibbles on Woojin’s fingers. 

 

“He is not  _ our  _ baby. He is mine.” Jihoon scoffs. “Have you fed him?”

 

“Duh.”

 

“Did you overfeed him?” Jihoon narrows his eyes at Woojin and passes Max to him so he can first get out of his expensive clothes before they get permanently fused with dog hair.

 

“No?” Woojin mumbles and Jihoon narrows his eyes even more.

 

“Park Woojin, I swear to god, if you feed him too much and he pukes all over the living room again, I am never gonna let you into my house.”

 

“I did not overfeed him.” Woojin grunts and picks himself up from Jihoon’s bed. “And anyway, we both know you can’t live without me. Who’s the one that moves into our dorm building to be closer to me?”

 

“I didn’t do that, asshole!” Jihoon flushes. He really did not, ok? It is just that his agency was looking a new dorm for him because the lease on his old one expired when he was in Wanna One, and the building that Woojin stays in happened to have some empty rooms at that time. Yeah, sure, the rental was a little over what his agency wanted but what is the point of being the biggest asset of a company if Jihoon cannot negotiate about things like that from time to time. But, Woojin does not need to know that. “Get lost. I am gonna change.”

 

“Hmm..” Woojin just groans and picks up Max who is wagging his tail so happily because he is easy and has no shame. “Let’s go, baby. You like me more, don’t you? Because I am more handsome and a better father.”

 

Max happily barks.

 

Jihoon is getting real tired of getting disrespected under his own roof.

 

* * *

 

Woojin has put on some dancing show on the TV when Jihoon gets out of his room, freshly showered and bare faced. 

 

“No schedule tomorrow?” Jihoon asks, opening the fridge to see the depressingly familiar brown bag probably containing his roasted chicken (with no seasoning because fuck Jihoon’s taste buds, right?) and some variation of tasteless boiled vegetables. 

 

“I am getting my license tomorrow.” Woojin jumps out from the couch and comes over to the small kitchenette area. “Get my dinner out too. It’s in the Ironman lunchbox.”

 

“You are such a kid.” Jihoon rolls his eyes but takes out the red plastic box as well. “You hadn’t eaten yet?”

 

“Yeah. Wasn’t hungry.” Woojin simply comments and gets the boxes out of Jihoon’s hand. Jihoon wants to ask why it is necessary to pack his dinner to Jihoon’s place given that Woojin literally lives two floors down but he doesn’t. Instead he watches Woojin puts their dinners onto different plates and heats them up so comfortably like this is his own kitchen before opening the fridge to take out the juice carton.

 

“Carrot juice, really?”

 

Jihoon shrugs. “Less sugar.”

 

“God, you are exhausting.” Woojin groans but still pours the juice into two glasses. 

 

“Don’t act like you haven’t had had diets too.”

 

“You know I can rarely stay on one.” Woojin comments and turns to the beeping microwave. “I prefer just burning them off at the gym.”

 

“Well, not everyone can burn everything off at the gym.” Jihoon says bitterly as Woojin opens the microwave door and the smell of actual edible food fills Jihoon’s house.

 

“What the hell did you get for dinner?”

 

“I made fried rice.” Woojin turns to him and grins. “We had some leftover stuff, just some eggs and sausages.”

 

“I am going to spit in your face.”

 

“Want to try some?”

 

“You know I am on a diet.” Jihoon grunts, annoyed. Woojin knows this because Jihoon had complained that to him multiple times, and yet he still does this shit.

 

“And you had been on that stupidass diet for weeks, and you’ve been getting bitchier and bitchier by day.”

 

“Fuck you, asshole.”

 

“Case in point.” Woojin points at him, and sits down on one of the tall stools at the kitchen island. “Look, one cheat day isn’t gonna make any big difference especially if you are doing it in moderation. Because I am pretty sure that you are this close to breaking down and stuffing your face with even shittier food. It happens every time you try to go on these diets and you still never learn.”

 

“I am not gonna do that this time.” Jihoon mumbles even though it literally took him almost bleeding himself by digging his nails into the palms of his hand yesterday when he was left alone near a convenience store for a while, and all he can think of was running into there and stuffing his face with sausage and ramen and chips. 

 

“And it’ll be easier to not do that if you try to do things in moderation.” Woojin says and scoops a spoonful of rice. “C’mon. I even used that expensive low-fat olive oil so you won’t feel too guilty.”

 

The rice looks extremely tempting and Jihoon hasn’t had anything with flavor in weeks so he kind of wants to cry even at the smell. 

 

“There are some leftover grilled pork bellies in there too.” Woojin smirks and Jihoon swears at him with every dirty word he knows in his head before leaning into the spoon. 

 

God, it tastes like heaven. Fuck Park Woojin and everything about him.

 

“Good?” Woojin smiles like an idiot and asks.

 

“You know it’s good, you moron.”

 

“You are welcome.” Woojin laughs and scoops a few spoonfuls into a small bowl. “Here. I only cooked a small portion so you don’t overstuff your face. At least, eat this with your sad ass chicken and grass.”

 

“My trainer is gonna murder me,” Jihoon mumbles but gratefully takes the rice bowl. 

 

“If you want to, you can come work out with me tomorrow.”

 

“I have a schedule in the morning.”

 

“So do I.” Woojin nods and shoves a spoonful of rice into his mouth. “I told you I am getting my license. What about in the evening?”

 

“I think I got practice. I’ll have to check.” Jihoon answers and tries his best not to lick the rice spoon. “Are you sure you can pass your practical tests tomorrow?”

 

“Please.” Woojin scoffs. “You know the difficult part for me was the written paper. I am gonna drive and park like a goddamn pro tomorrow and get my license. I even got my dad to give me his car tomorrow so I can go for a joyride later at night. Wanna come along?”

 

“Can’t. I have to record my OST.” Jihoon pouts.

 

“Lame.” Woojin mutters.

 

“Not everyone is as jobless as you, Woojin.” Jihoon rolls his eyes and Woojin scoffs.

 

“And yet, between the two of us, I am the one with a music show win.” 

 

Jihoon pinches him in the thigh and Woojin shrieks, trying to weasel his way out of Jihoon’s hand. Max comes running, barking at them because he either thinks they are playing or more likely, because he thinks Jihoon is attacking Woojin.

 

Like he said, getting disrespected under his own damn roof.

 

* * *

 

Things are … weird.  _ Weird  _ might not even be a word that is sufficient to explain what has been going on on this damn day. 

 

Firstly, Jongmin showed up this morning with a bouquet of roses, which Jihoon took without thinking much about it because (a) he just thought it was a prop for his magazine shoot later, and (b) he literally just crawled out of bed when Jongmin rang the bell (he did stay up until 3 last night but that’s mostly Woojin’s fault for insisting on rematches) so his cognitive functions were not properly adjusted yet. 

 

And then, Jongmin kept sticking to him like a stray piece of tape - which Jihoon guesses is part of his job, but there is no reason for Jongmin to be hanging onto Jihoon’s hands and wiping the stray hair off of his forehead. Jongmin is not even a touchy guy and he has never been in Jihoon’s close personal space like this in the six months that he was hired. 

 

The makeup lady, whom Jihoon hasn’t seen before because he is at a new salon - one that is requested by the magazine photographer to fit his vision for the shoot, also keeps … making comments about how pretty he is. And to be completely honest, Jihoon knows that. He is not gonna go around like a pompous ass because nobody likes a snotty bitch, but Jihoon is not self-deprecating enough to not recognize the fact that luck and good genes had favoured his face. So, naturally, he had seen and experienced many people fawning over him and his looks - he is a goddamn idol, but this is too creepy even for him. It is almost as if she is obsessed with him straight out of the bat. Jihoon chalks it up to him not getting enough sleep and the lady just being one of those weird ones.

 

But the whole staff, even those that comes with the photographer crew, is acting like Jihoon is the best thing they had ever seen since sliced bread, and while Jihoon would normally thinks that’s a good thing, he also feels like there is something unnatural and morbid  in the air - like this is not something that should be happening. One of the errand girls actually cried her eyes out because she got Jihoon Americano instead of his regular Latte, and cried even harder when he told her that it is ok and he likes Americano as well. 

 

And the worst thing is he can’t even ask Jongmin what is going on, because everytime Jihoon tries to talk to him, he just smiles in this creepyass way and stares into Jihoon’s eyes with such …. Devotion … that Jihoon ends up getting chills down his spine and leaving him. 

 

He would have thought he’s gone insane if it weren’t for Woojin’s constant messages throughout the day because Woojin is a believer in texting his every thought and simplest daily action, and while Jihoon would be annoyed on any other day, he finds that reading through Woojin’s extremely boring adventures at the Driving License Agency kind of grounds him a little, like he is not going crazy. 

 

Except, halfway through the photoshoot, Jihoon would rather just believe that he has gone insane because this cannot be happening.

 

The shoot started normal enough until the photographer kept taking pictures of him without break like his only reason of living is to document Jihoon on film. And when Jihoon finally spoke out for a short break, the photographer insisted on filming it instead. Which, fine, Jihoon is not a stranger to backstage cameras for behind the scenes footages. That’s part of the bread and butter of any shoot. 

 

Except no cameraman Jihoon had dealt with before keeps a running commentary on how beautiful and talented Jihoon is and how much he deserves to be on the cover of the next issue instead of just as a special feature. 

 

“I agree with him, you know.” The photographer (who also was tailing around Jihoon for some reason???) said and the cameraman nods enthusiastically. “You deserve to be on the cover. On every billboard. I am going to call the Editor.”

 

“Wait. Hang on.” Jihoon blurts out. “Our contract was for the feature, not for the cover.”

 

“Oh, don’t worry about your fees, my love.” The photographer said and Jihoon literally recoils at the use of the endearment coming from someone probably older than his own father. “I will make sure that they compensate you, of course. Maybe our highest appearance fees even.  You are too good for this magazine. Maybe, I should try calling Vogue.”

 

“Vog..Vogue?” Jihoon chokes out.

 

“You really deserve the best, Jihoonie.” The cameraman cuts in. “Can I call you Jihoonie? Please? Jihoonie, I love you so much.”

 

“Errrmmm….” Jihoon steps back in cautious steps because  _ what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck.  _ “... toilet break!”

 

He doesn’t even wait to listen to their response before just turning and zooming towards the toilets on the first floor. Jongmin grins his creepy grin again (god, Jihoon is going to have  _ nightmares _ ) when he sees Jihoon so Jihoon makes sure to run past him without stopping and dashes into the toilet, locking the door.

 

He is not crazy. Something is either definitely wrong or maybe this is some kind of a sick practical joke. Maybe Jihoon needs to have a few mental breakdown first before the hidden cameras are revealed and Jongmin will let Jihoon knows that he had been casted in some new celebrity prank program.

 

Yeah, maybe he is just being ridiculous. He just needs to go back out there and finishes the shoot and then he can go pick up Max and head to the practice room. He can ...

 

“Jihoon, honey, are you ok?”

 

_ Nope. Not today. _

 

Woojin sounds as chipper and annoying as he usually is when he finally answers the call. “What’s up, my dude? Did you see that selfie I sent with my new shining license?”

 

God, Jihoon would have never thought that there’d be a day where he is immensely thankful at the universe that Woojin’s annoyingness is the only constant in his life.

 

“Where are you?” Jihoon hisses. He can now hears even more people outside the toilet, calling for him, and at this point, he won’t be surprised if they somehow break down the door.

 

“Apgujeong. I was getting coffee with my dad. Why?”

 

“Can you ..” Jihoon mentally checks and it shouldn’t be more than ten minutes with the days’ traffic for Woojin to reach his salon. “... pick me up? I’ll send you the address.”

 

“What’s wrong?” Woojin’s light voice immediately turns serious. “Are those people yelling your name? What’s going on?”

 

“I don’t know.” Jihoon lets out a desperate laugh. “Something is really fucking wrong.”

 

“Is it … zombies?”

 

“I am being serious here, moron!” Jihoon wails.

 

“I am already on my way.” Woojin yells back. “Where’s the address?”

 

“Sending you now.” Jihoon quickly texts him his location, and tries to see if the window in the toilet is big enough for him to wiggle out to the outside garden. There is no way in hell he is gonna open that door. 

 

“Really though.” Woojin says and Jihoon can hear the car honks on the other line. “What’s going on? Are you ok?”

 

“I … honestly .. don’t know.” Jihoon pants. “I am gonna hang up now. Don’t come to the front gate. If you circle it, there’s a small lane at the back of the salon.”

 

“The back?” Woojin asks. “But why …”

 

Jihoon hangs up because he cannot deal with any more question that he does not have the answer to.

 

“JIHOON!” Jongmin’s voice rises above the others’ mumbles and Jihoon almost shudders. “ARE YOU ALRIGHT? PLEASE.”

 

“I am fine.” Jihoon blurts out because he is actually in the fear of them breaking the door down. “Give me a minute. Please?”

 

“We will wait here for you.” Jongmin says and Jihoon can hear a few people saying  _ “I love you” _ .

 

Yeah. He is definitely climbing out through that window.

 

* * *

Jihoon thinks he bruises his tailbone trying to jump over the backgate in a particularly embarrassing fashion, but at least no one was around to witness it. 

 

The black sedan that Jihoon knows to be of Woojin’s dad rolls into the tiny lane a few minutes after Jihoon finishes dusting himself off and making sure he didn’t break any bone. 

 

“What’s going on?” Woojin looks worried when Jihoon jumps into the front seat. 

 

“Drive first.” Jihoon says, mostly because he has no answer.

 

“Drive where?” Woojin shoots back. “Dude, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what the fuck is going on.”

 

“You are going to laugh at me.” Jihoon mumbles. “Just drive … anywhere. Away from here.”

 

If it were any other person, Jihoon would be surprised that they’d listen to Jihoon’s weird and out of the blue pleas, but Woojin just sighs and backs the car out of the tiny lane, putting themselves onto the main road. 

 

“Did you run away?” Woojin asks. “Where’s your manager?”

 

“He’s…” Jihoon answers and jumps a little at his phone’s sudden ring. 

 

He turns the call down when he sees the caller ID.

 

“Isn’t that Jongmin hyung?” Woojin frowns. “Jihoon, what’s …”

 

“I think …” Jihoon blurts out. “I think everyone back there is in love with me.” 

 

Woojin turns his head to stare at him.

 

“I know it is weird as fuck and you won’t believe me.” Jihoon murmurs. “But I swear to god and everything I have ever loved, I am telling the truth.”

 

“I mean,” Woojin turns his head back to focus on the road that they are on. “Sure, I am not surprised that there are people in love with you, but  _ everyone,  _ really? And why would you run away from that? You like being adored.”

 

“Not like this!” Jihoon wails. “They were being … obsessive. Just … imagine that they’ve all been drugged by, I don’t know, cupids.”

 

“Cupids drug people?” Woojin scrunches his nose and if Jihoon wasn’t worried about their safety in the car the first time driver Woojin is driving, he’d have already smacked Woojin in the face.

 

“It’s a metaphor, asshole.” He grits his teeth. “They were all, and when I say all, I mean  _ all.  _ Everyone from Jongmin hyung to the new staff, were fawning over me and just being really creepy like I am their cult leader or something. The stylist tells me that I am her only reason for living, Woojin, and I have never met her before in my life!”

 

Woojin blinks and then shakes his head and he thinks Jihoon is being a lunatic, and Jihoon is not even sure if he can blame Woojin for that. 

 

“Maybe it’s a prank?” Woojin suggests.

 

“Well, that’s a cruel prank.” Jihoon mutters. “And they really underestimated my flight instinct.”

 

“Do you want me to talk to Jongmin hyung? See what’s going on?”

 

“Please.” Jihoon sighs. “Where are we going again?”

 

“Back home.” Woojin answers. “Or do you want me to take you somewhere else?”

 

“No,” Jihoon shakes his head. “Home is fine… wait. I need to pick  up Max first.”

 

Woojin turns at him and tsks. “You know I don’t like you leaving him at those centers.”

 

Jihoon blinks. “It’s not like I leave him at the care centers too often. And also, he is, you know, my dog.”

 

Something akin to hurt flashes across Woojin’s face for a tiny moment, and Jihoon feels like apologizing, but really, Max is Jihoon’s, even if he sometimes acts like he likes Woojin more. 

 

“I’m letting him stay at my parents’ when I start my shootings for that drama.” Jihoon murmurs because while he is too proud to apologize, he also cannot stand Woojin’s sad face. “So, it’ll only be a few more times I’d have to drop him off at the center.”

 

“Ok.” Woojin nods and takes a turn into the street where the doggy daycare center that Jihoon had dropped Max off earlier locates.

 

Jihoon leaves Woojin to his devices when he goes to fetch Max, and it takes him literally five minutes to realize his mistake when the receptionist starts taking off her earrings to give them to him as a gift. 

 

“No, no. I cannot take them. Please.” Jihoon almost begs. “I just want my dog!”

 

“Oh..oh, of course, darling..” The lady says and thankfully, stops fidgeting with her ears. “Wait here. Sit. Do you want anything to eat? Or drink? I am very good at massages, you know…”

 

“I… my dog. Please.” Jihoon whimpers.

 

She at least leaves him alone to go inside the center, and Jihoon would normally follow her because he likes playing with the other dogs, but right now, he just wants to grab Max and runs back to Woojin.

 

Which is exactly what he tries to do, except the talon like fingers on his forearms are pretty firm and Jihoon is not that heartless to use force and push away an older lady. 

 

“Can we take a picture?” She is asking, so earnestly that Jihoon’s heart almost breaks among the fear. “I will post it on all my sns accounts. I don’t have a lot of followers, but whoever I know should see your beauty, Jihoon. You deserve to be loved by everyone! And I will make sure that they do.”

 

_ Everyone will love you. I promise. _

 

Jihoon somehow shakes her off through the chills that are running down his spine, and just runs.

 

Woojin is just getting off his phone and staring at it in confusion when Jihoon gets back, panting and grasping at the handles of Max’s carrier.

 

“If your manager is doing some kind of prank,” Woojin says with furrowed brows. “He really is committing to it. He even told me that he’s filing a divorce with his wife so he can always be by your side.”

 

“Woojin.” Jihoon says, shaking despite the hotness of the sun that is directly on his head that he can barely register. “I … I think I am cursed.”

 

* * *

 

“So, run it by me again.” Woojin says. They are parked in one of the quiet residential areas because Jihoon does not want to talk while they are on the road. “You drink something a fan give you, which, by the way, is absolutely stupid and dangerous.”

 

“We’ve already established that.” Jihoon murmurs. Max is on his lap, gnawing at the loose threads on Jihoon’s sweater and nuzzling at the heel of Jihoon’s palm like he can feel Jihoon’s discomfort. 

 

“Right.” Woojin nods. “But curses, really? Like magic and witchcraft curses? How do you even come to that conclusion?”

 

“Because!” Jihoon cries out. “Nothing seems to be logical. Does it make sense to you that my very heterosexual and devoted husband of a manager is suddenly in love with me overnight? You’ve talked to him. You know that!”

 

“I thought we are still going with the prank theory.” Jihoon mutters.

 

“Then, why does the receptionist lady at the doggy care center also hit on me and tell me the exact same thing that girl said yesterday?”

 

“Maybe it’s a …”

 

“If you say coincidence, I will punch your nose off.”

 

“... something that is not a curse.” Woojin awkwardly finishes. “You do know that you are talking about like magic and shit, right?”

 

“Well, what’s your explanation then?” Jihoon crosses his arms and glares. “I know that I sound fucking crazy right now but the only thing that makes sense to me is if I was cursed with some kind of a fucked up love spell that makes everyone fawns over me like … freaking love zombies.”

 

“Why am I not fawning over you then?” Woojin asks, and Jihoon blinks. 

 

Right. He did not even consider that. Woojin is still Woojin, not declaring his love for Jihoon or offering to move mountains and cross seas of fires for Jihoon. 

 

Jihoon, for a split second, feels like he’d have died to see that - Woojin looking at him like Jihoon holds all the keys to Woojin’s life and hears him saying that he loves Jihoon, but then again, it would not be real, is it?

 

And Jihoon does not know what would hurt more - Woojin never loving him back or Woojin loving him because he was forced to.

 

“I don’t know, Woojin.” Jihoon lets out a shaky breath. “Maybe it only works for people I haven’t known for years or maybe for people who are not the same age. Who knows? I am also making it up as it goes. I don’t know shit.”

 

“Hey,” Woojin’s hand reaches across the seat and lies on top of Jihoon’s knee. “I am not saying that because I don’t believe you. It’s just … you do know that it is difficult to believe, right?”

 

“I know.” Jihoon rests his head on the back of the seat and clasps a hand over his eyes. “Can you just .. take me home?”

 

“Right, about that.” Woojin says slowly. “Jongmin hyung mentioned earlier that he is heading to your place.”

 

“Jesus fucking christ.”

 

“Exactly.” Woojin nods. “And I don’t know if I believe in your theories about curses and magic and shits yet but I do think he could be dangerous because the guy sounds unhinged even through phone. Why don’t we head over to our company first? He might not think to look for you there, and then we can …. I don’t even know how to from whom to get help.”

 

“Beats me.” Jihoon murmurs, already bone tried. “Are the others at the company?”

 

“No, they are doing some PR event today. At least, our dance room should be empty if you don’t want to see anyone.”

 

“Ok,” Jihoon nods and hugs Max into his chest. Woojin gives his knee a soft squeeze before letting go to start the car.

 

“We’ll figure it out, Jihoon.” He says before the engine comes to life and they start to move. “I promise you that.”

 

* * *

Woojin sneaks Jihoon into the familiar dance practice room at Brand New office building. Even Max stays quiet in his carrier like he understands the gravity of the situation. Woojin leaves for a while to get Jihoon something to drink while Jihoon idly plays with Max and tries his best not to let the little devil go near the snack pack in the carrier. 

 

“I don’t know if apple juice fits in your diet,” Woojin says when he comes back, throwing a chilled apple juice bottle to Jihoon. “But that’s the only thing we’ve got.”

 

“You stocked these up here as well?” Jihoon asks. He hasn’t drank this particular brand lately because Woojin had always been the one who likes it. Jihoon always thought it tastes far too artificial. “It’s fine. Diet is literally the last thing I have on my mind right now.”

 

“Good, so I can finally eat pizza with you?”

 

Jihoon glares at him and Woojin just gives him a toothy smile. “What? I’m just trying to make the best out of the situation.”

 

“You are a moron.”

 

“Well,” Woojin says, sitting cross-legged in front of Jihoon. “Unfortunately, I am the only moron you have right now, so.... Anyway, I was thinking …”

 

“Woojin?” The door to the practice room opens and both of them turns their head to see Rhymer at the door. “I thought you were still out. Did you get the …. Jihoon?”

 

“Shit. Shit. Shit.” Jihoon tries to duck behind Woojin but Rhymer has already crossed the room and is now standing right over them.

 

“I didn’t know you were coming over. Do you not have any schedule also?”

 

Jihoon can tell the exact moment Rhymer’s eyes changed because now that he is on, what, his 15th victim today, he is getting pretty good at recognizing the signs. 

 

“I am so glad you come over though.” Rhymer says, suddenly smiling like he is in bliss and Jihoon can see Woojin’s eyes bulging out from the corner of his eyes. “Why are you sitting on the floor? Come into my office. I will get you something delicious to eat.”

 

“I am fine.” Jihoon chokes out. “Right here. I am going to leave soon anyway … no need to trouble yourself.”

 

“That is nonsense.” Rhymer says, aghast like Jihoon just insulted his mother. “You would never trouble me Jihoon. Don’t even think that.”

 

“Thank you?” Jihoon squeaks.

 

“You look pale and tired.” Rhymer brings his face closer for inspection and Woojin immediately tries to get in between them.

 

“Erm… boss?”

 

“Is your company not treating you well?” Rhymer asks, not giving a single fuck to Woojin, and Jihoon shakes his head quickly. “They don’t know how lucky they are to have you, and they can’t even treat you well?!”

 

“My company is fine.” Jihoon says and steps back a little so he can get Woojin as a human barrier between him and Rhymer. 

 

“I will buy out your contract.” Rhymer suddenly says and even Woojin stops moving. “Tell me. How long did you sign for and what’s the termination fees?”

 

Jihoon stares at him, slacked-jaw while Rhymer keeps going on. “I am going to make sure you are well taken care of, like you deserve to be. I will give you everything I got, Jihoon. I swear. I will disband Woojin’s group if I have to.”

 

“Excuse me, sir, but what the fuck?” Woojin blurts out. 

 

“All you have to do,” Rhymer takes Jihoon’s hands in his and Jihoon physically recoils from the touch. “... is say yes.”

 

“No.” Jihoon says, firm. He is sick of this. He is sick of clueless people getting obsessed over him like a disease and having to feel scared and violated. “I don’t want to.”

 

“Jihoon….” Rhymer looks so sad that Jihoon almost feels guilty.  _ Almost _ . This is not real, and whatever Rhymer is feeling now is not real.

 

“I am content in my current company, so I really don’t need or want your help. What I need now is to be alone for a while because you are right. I am tired and I want to rest.”

 

“Ok,” Rhymer nods sadly. “Ok, I understand.”

 

_ Wait. This is working? Jihoon can reason slash manipulate them into listening to him? _

 

“And I need Woojin here.” Jihoon blurts out before Rhymer tries to grab Woojin out of the room by his neck to leave Jihoon in peace or something. “We are gonna just play games.”

 

Woojin whimpers a little when Rhymer turns to him and glares at him with such rage that Jihoon is scared for his life for a split second. 

 

“Can you make sure no one knows I am here?” Jihoon cuts in before Woojin gets murdered by his own boss because of him. “You are the only person I can trust to do that.”

 

Rhymer’s eyes brighten up like Jihoon just gives him his reason to live again and nods enthusiastically. “You can count on me, Jihoon. And if you change your mind about signing with me, you just tell anything, ok? Anytime, baby. I will always be here for you.”

 

Jihoon thinks Woojin’s limbs would retract into his own body if it was physically possible from the way he is shuddering, and Jihoon can’t blame him because he is feeling the same way.

 

If he gets called  _ baby  _ by Rhymer again, this dance practice room is going to become a murder-suicide scene. 

 

“Thank you.” Jihoon manages to grit out and leads Rhymer towards the door. 

 

It is quite difficult to get his hands away from Rhymer’s because dude has the grip of a fucking octopus but Jihoon manages and Woojin immediately comes in from the side to close the door shut and locks it despite Rhymer still trying to say something.

 

“You are cursed.” Woojin flattens his back against the now closed door and pants. “Holy shit. You are definitely one hundred percent cursed.”

 

* * *

“You know, I think I know why I am not a love zombie for you.”

 

“Really?” Jihoon raises his eyebrows. They are trying to find the girl who gave Jihoon the drink in the first place through SNS, but it is unsurprisingly difficult. “Why? Why do you think you are the exception?”

 

“Because…” Woojin wails. “... having to watch my boss be in love with you is a hundred times worse than any curse could be.”

 

Jihoon snaps at him. “Be serious, Park Woojin!”

 

“I am serious.” Woojin hugs his knees to his chest, looking like a lost puppy. “The image of him calling you  _ baby  _ is now forever burned into my brain, and it is gonna haunt me for the rest of my life. I don’t think I can even look at him in the face again. Do you think they still do lobotomies these days?”

 

“Focus.” Jihoon kicks him in the shin and Woojin gives a pouty little  _ ow.  _ “There is no way I am gonna be able to find her on fucking twitter. This is not even needle in a haystack. It’s like finding a fucking specific haystrand in a haystack.”

 

“Doesn’t your company keep a record of who is allowed in for a fansign?” Woojin asks.

 

“Yeah, but how would I get a hold of that?” Jihoon asks back. “Unless I ask … Jongmin hyung…”

 

“Well, didn’t want to say it,” Woojin shrugs. “But maybe it’s time to use your evil powers again.”

 

* * *

 

It does not take much time or effort to convince Jongmin to give Jihoon the list of daum IDs that register for his last fansign. If anything, it is more difficult to get him to stop talking. But at least, in between the three different breakdowns and multiple love confessions that spewed out from Jongmin’s mouth, Jihoon manages to convince Jongmin to not go down to the court tomorrow to file a divorce, and just to give Jihoon a night or two off to rest. Jongmin might get chewed out by the upper management but Jihoon can’t feel too bad about it by the time Jongmin told him for the seventh time that he’d die for Jihoon.

 

“That wasn’t too bad, was it?” Woojin says with a mouthful of chicken. He did get over the Rhymer thing pretty quickly after the chicken was delivered. 

 

Jihoon scoffs and takes a new piece of chicken for himself because fuck diets - he is under severe mental stress. 

 

“I feel like a fucking asshole everytime I talk to people like that.” He mumbles. “You know, I thought it’d be amazing to be loved by everyone, but honestly, this is just annoying and scary.”

 

“That’s because they are being obsessive. Not in love.” Woojin says wisely. “Do you want to go through that list now or …”

 

“Yeah.” Jihoon mumbles, looking at the list that Jongmin texted him. The list includes the ID, name and the date of birth, and Jihoon knows that girl is older than him so by the process of elimination, he is left with around 60 people, which still is, a fucking lot. 

 

“I found a few of them on twitter,” Woojin says, handing his phone to Jihoon. “Same IDs, and their display picture is you.”

 

“If they don’t have their own pictures, how am I going to tell?” Jihoon groans and bites into his chicken in frustration.

 

“Hang on, did she have a post-it for you? During the fansign?”

 

Jihoon thinks. “Yeah… yeah. She asked me what my promise would be if I win no. 1 on a music show.”

 

Woojin stares at him, not in a kind way. “Why didn’t you tell us that first dumbass?”

 

“Fuck you, asshole.” Jihoon spits back. “It’s a miracle my brain is even functioning at this point. How’d I remember that?”

 

“As always,” Woojin signs and grabs his phone back. “I am the one with the brain.”

 

“As long as I get to be the one with the beauty.” Jihoon sticks his tongue out and Woojin scoffs. 

 

“There’s a twitter tag about your last fansign.” Woojin notes. “Maybe we should check on that tag and the Park Jihoon tag to see if she has posted.”

 

Jihoon groans because that is going to be a long scroll and he is not even sure if he is up to read through his fan accounts in this mindset.

 

Woojin grabs the tissue box next to Jihoon, and stands up. “It’s ok. You finish eating first, and then maybe take a rest. I am gonna take Max to the park and check through twitter.”

 

“You don’t have to …”

 

“He hasn’t pooped all this time.” Woojin says, wiping at his oily mouth. “If I let him poop in this room, Daehwi is going to skin me alive.”

 

“What would I do without you, Woojin?” Jihoon says sincerely, and Woojin stills for a while before breaking out into a smile.

 

“You getting soft, Park?”

 

“Shut up.” Jihoon rolls his eyes. “With what’s going on, I thought you’d appreciate something real.”

 

“You are a pain in my ass.” Woojin says with a smile and ruffles his fingers through Jihoon’s hair.

 

“Take your fucking smelly chicken fingers out of my hair.” Jihoon evades Woojin’s hands and yells.

 

“Like I said,” Woojin laughs, grabbing Max’s harness from the carrier. “... pain in my ass.”

 

* * *

Woojin finds her first, which is surprising because Woojin is even more technologically challenged than Jihoon, but going through the twitter profile that Woojin had sent him, there is no doubt that this belongs to the girl who cursed him. She had even posted about the fact that she gave him something to drink, fighting with other fans who found the act inappropriate.

 

_ I am doing this for Jihoon.  _ Her latest tweet, which was posted only 30 minutes ago, reads.  _ You will all understand one day. _

 

The only thing Jihoon understands is that he doesn’t mind killing her with his own hands.

 

But, because his condition is dire (and slightly also because he is kind of scared - she is a fucking witch, ok???), Jihoon swallows down his anger and sends her a DM from his official account. 

 

And starts pacing back and forth in the tiny room, waiting for her to reply, up until Woojin comes back with Max, knocking on the locked door.

 

“Your dog is adorable,” Woojin says, carrying a sleeping Max. “But also annoying. What kind of dog even fall asleep while playing?”

 

“He’s just a baby.” Jihoon rolls his eyes, taking Max off of Woojin. “Look at him. Isn’t he the cutest thing ever?”

 

Woojin shakes his head. “Like I said, cute and annoying. Reminds me of his owner.”

 

“Me?” Jihoon turns his head and blinks right up in Woojin’s face, faking coyness. “You sure you are not in love with me too?”

 

“Annoying.” Woojin spells out and lies down spread-eagle on the floor. “Did you get in contact with that chick?”

 

“I sent her a message earlier.” Jihoon says, distracted since he is trying to lower Max into the carrier without waking him up. “Can you check my phone?”

 

Woojin rolls his entire body to reach for Jihoon’s phone plugged into the socket and Jihoon tsks at the way he is just sweeping the dust on the floor with his clothes. 

 

“Dude! She replied.” Woojin shouts and Jihoon almost drops Max. “25 fucking messages. Jesus. And half of them is just crying emojis. What did you even text her?”

 

“I said hi.” Jihoon crosses the room. He just said  _ hi  _ because really, what do you even say to a presumed witch who curses Jihoon to be loved by everyone because she is in love with him? “What did she say?”

 

“Nothing worth noting.” Woojin says. “How are you going to get her to … undo whatever she had done? Do you even know if she can undo it?”

 

“I am going to ask her to meet up.” Jihoon says. He has already thought about it when he was waiting on her to reply. “It’d be best to talk to her face to face, right?”

 

“Dude.” Woojin blinks. “She’s a … what the fuck is she even … a witch? A sorcerer? She can probably turn you into a rabbit or something! Just talk to her on phone.”

 

“You do know that means I have to give her my number, right?” Jihoon raises an eyebrow.

 

“You can always change your number later.” Woojin argues. “That’s a better plan that facing a fucking witch!”

 

Jihoon bites down on his lips and changes the text he is typing from “Can we meet?” to “Can we talk?” Woojin is right in a sense - as much as Jihoon wants to yell in her face, it might not be a very bright idea to go and meet some potentially dangerous stranger. 

 

“I gave her my number.” Jihoon mumbles. “You  better hope she can’t turn people into rabbits over the phone.”

 

“At least, Max would appreciate a new playmate?” Woojin says and Jihoon cannot even snap back at him because of the nerves. 

 

Jihoon jumps when the phone rings and Woojin reaches over to hold his trembling hand.

 

“Do you want me to take it?”

 

“It’s fine.” Jihoon shakes himself. “I’m fine. Hello? This is Jihoon.”

 

“Jihoon?” The familiar sharp voice rings in from the other side of the phone. “Oh my god! Oh my god. It really is you? I can’t believe you are calling me!”

 

“Technically, you called me,” Jihoon starts. “... but yeah, I needed to talk to you. What  had you done to me?”

 

Woojin shakes his head, mouthing the word  _ dangerous  _ at him, so Jihoon swallows back the anger that has been rising through his chest, and adds in. “I mean, what did you give me yesterday?”

 

“I didn’t …”

 

“Please.” Jihoon chokes out. “It has been really fucking difficult for me this entire day. I had never suffered so much.”

 

“Jihoon… oh no, Jihoonie…” the girl on the other line chokes back like she is crying again. “I didn’t make it for you to suffer.” 

 

“But what did you make?” Woojin blurts out and Jihoon makes a face at him to shut up. Luckily though, the girl is crying pretty loudly and probably didn’t notice that it was a different voice.

 

“It was … it was what my grandmother used to make for her cult leader.”

 

Woojin stares at the phone for a while before looking up at Jihoon and circles his index finger around his template. Jihoon can’t even blame him because  _ what the actual fuck _ . Everytime this girl speaks something new, Jihoon feels like getting a longer restraining order against her. 

 

“It makes people love you to the point where they’d die for you.” The girl sniffles. “That’s all I wanted for you, Jihoonie. I wanted people to notice you and love you like you deserve to. I woke up this morning feeling even more in love with you so I knew it worked, but why … why are you saying that you are suffering?”

 

“Heesoo… that’s your name, right?” Jihoon says. “Heesoo … listen to me. I want people to love me too, and I am very glad that you feel the same way.”  _ He definitely does not but Jihoon is a fucking actor - he can lie through his teeth pretty convincingly especially if it is for his survival.  _ “But I want to do it my own way, you know. If I work hard enough, everyone will see me and like me and that’d be more rewarding for me, don’t you think?”

 

“But people are assholes!” Heesoo wails. “They were talking mean things about you just because you didn’t win a stupid music show. I can’t let them!”

 

“It’s ok…” Jihoon adds in. “It’s ok if some people do not love me. I don’t care about them.”

 

“You deserve to be loved.”

 

“I know I do.” Jihoon quickly adds. “And I will work to make sure that I always will be, so … can  you … can you please undo it?”

 

“I can’t.” Heesoo sniffles, and Jihoon’s hold on his phone tightens. “It’ll wear off with time.”

 

“How … how long?”

 

“My grandma’s batches last around 3 days, but I think mine are pretty weak because it doesn’t smell the same.”

 

Ok. So, less than 3 days, hopefully, and he had already gone through over 24 hours. Jihoon can handle it. 

 

“Thank you.” Jihoon says into the phone despite a very strong urge to just curse Heesoo out and hangs up because (a) he doesn’t know if she is telling the truth and he might need her later, and (b) he is still not sure if she can turn him into a rabbit over the line.

 

“I am so sorry, Jihoonie. Can I …” Heesoo sniffles. “... can I call you from time to time? I promise I won’t disturb you.”

 

“Errm… right. Yeah…” Jihoon says despite Woojin fervently shaking his head at him. Jihoon would very much not want to provoke a cult witch and get turned into any form of animal, so he shakes his head back. “Sure.”

 

“Thank you.” Heesoo cries into the phone. “Thank you so much, Jihoonie. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me!”

 

How lucky he must be then.

 

* * *

 

“What if she does something … even worse to you later when you change your number and cuts her off?” Woojin asks.

 

“Then, I will deal with it when or if it happens.” Jihoon mumbles. “I can’t worry about the future right now. I’m barely dealing with the present. Did you manage to book?”

 

“Yeah, I got one of the suites.” Woojin replies. They had decided that hiding out until whatever required time has passed would be the best plan that they can come up within a short time. Jihoon does have some recordings scheduled for his OST tomorrow and day after, but he asked Jongmin to take care of them, and similarly asked Rhymer to clear Woojin’s schedule. 

 

At least, this curse is a little useful. Sure, Jihoon feels drained and guilty everytime he talks to someone to get what he wants, but still … useful.

 

“You don’t have to come with me, you know?” He turns and says to Woojin, who is driving.

 

“Then how exactly do you plan on getting to the hotel then?” Woojin raises an eyebrow. 

 

“I mean, you can just drop me off with like a box of ramen. I am sure I can hole up in a hotel room for one or two days by myself.” Jihoon replies.

 

“Yeah, well.” Woojin shrugs. “Better safe than sorry.”

 

“Hey, you know what?” Jihoon turns to him and says. “Remember that joyride you were talking about?”

 

Woojin turns to him and grins beautifully. “Yeah?”

 

“Yes. How many times can we say that neither of us have a schedule the next morning?” Jihoon smiles back and Woojin raises a fist with a gustry  _ woohoo _ before turning the car at the next turn, putting them onto the road that will lead out into the highway. 

 

Jihoon rolls down the window and takes in the night air of Seoul - which is honestly suffocating and not that good of a quality, but still, he has been trying … that’s what he has been doing lately … trying to make the best out of any situation that he is in, and that’s good enough.

 

* * *

 

They check in at the hotel that Woojin booked them way past after midnight. Well, Woojin checked them in - Jihoon stayed in the car with Max until Woojin calls him and then dashes into the hotel with woojin’s scarf covering his face like he is on the most discreet mission.

 

“I am not gonna be surprised if there’s news tomorrow about how Brand New’s Park Woojin comes into a hotel late at night with a mysterious man whose face is hidden.” Woojin laughs once Jihoon dashes into the elevator.

 

“I thought you said this hotel is discrete about celebrities stays.”

 

“They are.” Woojin laughs and takes the dog carrier from Jihoon. “I’m just joking. Don’t worry about it.”

 

“Well, can you blame me if I am in a constant worrying mood?” Jihoon pouts and follows Woojin into their suite, which definitely is, way too nice. “Park Woojin … did you break my bank account to book this?”

 

“What?” Woojin raises an eyebrow, letting a very hyper Max out. “This is the only pet friendly suite I can find out a short notice. Plus, you are literally the lead in a KBS drama. I believe you can shell out some coins for a night or two at a good hotel.”

 

Jihoon mutters some curse words at him, but Woojin is already playing around on the floor with Max, so hopeless, really.

 

“I am going to shower.” He says and leaves the two of them be.

 

At least, the expensive suite comes with a truly lavish bathtub so Jihoon fills it to the brim with foam and slides into the warm water, trying to relax his mind. It has been an eventful day, which is the understatement of the century, but just a few more days and it will all be over. And he will find a way to make sure this doesn’t happen again, even if he has to ban Heesoo from every single one of his future event.

 

Hopefully, she doesn’t, for real, know  how to turn people into rabbits.

 

He must have been more tired that he thought because when consciousness comes to Jihoon again, Woojin is shaking at his shoulders … Jihoon’s very naked shoulders.

 

Jihoon shrieks and almost falls under the water, which now that he is aware of his surroundings again, is uncomfortably cold. 

 

“Did you fall asleep?” Woojin is asking, irritatingly calm while Jihoon is flailing over here, trying his best to rescue his dignity.

 

“Woojin! I am naked!” Jihoon squeaks and Woojin just raises an eyebrow.

 

“I didn’t see anything.” Woojin replies calmly. “Maybe it’s just too small…”

 

“Ya!”

 

“I am kidding.” Woojin bursts out laughing. “You put in so much shower gel you are literally sitting inside a pool of foam. Wash up and come out soon or you are gonna catch a cold.”

 

Jihoon internally curses at himself, and watches Woojin leaves the bathroom before turning the showerhead on and washing the foam and soap off of his body.

 

Woojin is sitting on the couch in the living room when Jihoon finally leaves the bathroom. Jihoon didn’t notice it before but his hair is still wet, so he must have taken his shower as well. Damn, he really fell asleep for that long.

 

“Go to sleep.” Woojin tells him when Jihoon sits down next to him on the couch. 

 

“In a little while.” Jihoon murmurs and grabs some of the popcorns on Woojin’s lap. “What are you watching?”

 

“Don’t know. Some Hollywood action movie.” Woojin answers, shifting his hand so Jihoon can have easier access to the popcorn.

 

“It’s noisy.” Jihoon complains and munches on his popcorn. “And it looks dumb.”

 

“It is dumb.” Woojin agrees. “You wanna turn off the lights and watch it till the end?”

 

“Yes. Please.”

 

When Woojin sits back down after turning the lights off, Jihoon settles in next to Woojin’s side, burrowing his head onto Woojin’s shoulders that somehow feel like they’ve gotten even wider over the past few months. Woojin doesn’t say anything but reaches for the throw next to him and puts it over both his and Jihoon’s legs.

 

“Hey Woojin.” Jihoon says halfway through the movie that he is not paying attention to. “Thank you.”

 

Woojin’s hand squeezes his arm, warmth of him seeping through the thin robe. “You are welcome.”

 

* * *

 

They talk through the night, the movie eventually muted in the background. They just talk about irrelevant and inconsequential shit like which food Woojin has been eating lately or how scary Jihoon is finding the acting world to be or how much snow they are expected to get this winter. But Jihoon misses this, misses speaking in hush voices under the darkness with Woojin about everything and nothing and falling asleep to the sound of Woojin’s soft snores, misses having Woojin at arm’s length … just misses him.

 

And even if Woojin does not feel like Jihoon does, the crushingly dense waves of  _ wants _ hitting at his heart every time he sees a certain smile, Jihoon is fine enough having Woojin just here. He still does not know why or how the curse spares Woojin, but Jihoon would have gone entirely out of his mind without Woojin tethering him to the ground.

 

Woojin is one of Jihoon’s best and Jihoon tries his hardest not to say it out loud under the gentleness of the night that makes his heart beats in all the wrong ways because he is not sure what else he would end up doing if he cannot even control himself saying that, and that is dangerous waters.

 

And Jihoon is not good at swimming.

 

* * *

Jihoon wakes up to the sounds of his alarm, which he has forgotten to switch off because he is an idiot. He tries to get up from the position he is lying in, but Woojin’s arms are strong around his waist, gripping onto Jihoon like a steel rope.

 

“Woojin…” Jihoon mumbles. “Let me go. The alarm..”

 

Jihoon elbows him a little and turns his face to see if Woojin has woken up. Woojin, in fact, has not; instead,  he is just groaning and mumbling softly, twitching his nose.

 

Jihoon wonders if it is normal for him to want to bite down at the tip of Woojin’s nose. 

 

“Park Woojin.” Jihoon says again, louder, and Woojin scrunches his face before opening his eyes. 

 

People who write poems about Jihoon’s eyes must have never looked into Woojin’s.

 

“Let me go turn off the alarm.” Jihoon finally says since Woojin seems like he is not planning on letting Jihoon go any moment soon. “It’s noisy.”

 

“Wh … right.” Woojin shakes his head and the arms around Jihoon’s waist fall. Jihoon feels a little empty. “Sorry. Sleepy.”

 

“I’ll turn it off and we can sleep in.” Jihoon mutters, getting up and walking towards the table where he has left his phone charged. There is a slight ache in his neck, probably due to him sleeping through the night on the couch.

 

“Yeah, your dog is up so I don’t think that’s an option.” Woojin says and Jihoon spots Max panting and jumping onto Woojin’s chest.

 

“So, it’s  _ my  _ dog now that you find him annoying?” Jihoon scoffs and stops his alarm.

 

“Don’t listen to him.” Woojin is cooing. “You are not annoying, baby. You are the best boy in the world.”

 

Jihoon just snorts and looks at the … jeus, thirty-fucking-eight messages from Jongmin on his phone. He has no intention to read any of them until he catches the sight of the last few ones.

 

“Oh my god!” Jihoon mutters. “Oh my god, Woojin!”

 

“What?” Woojin jumps up from the couch. “What happened?”

 

“Jongmin is threatening to murder me.”

 

“What the fuck!”

 

“No, no.” Jihoon unplugs his phone in urgency and shows Woojin the last few messages from Jongmin, which are all variations of  _ if you don’t tell me where you disappear off to right now, I am calling your mom and also kill you when I find you. _

 

“That … doesn’t sound like a person who is in love with you.”

 

“Exactly!” Jihoon mutters and presses call. “Jongmin hyung?”

 

“You little dipshit!” Jongmin curses and Jihoon is so relieved that he could cry. “Where are you?”

 

“I am … at a friend’s.” Jihoon says. “I told you yesterday, hyung. Do you … erm … remember anything from yesterday? How are you feeling? Any … weird feelings?”

 

“Huh. What friend? What are you talking about? I don’t remember you telling me anything.” Jongmin says into the phone, genuinely confused, and Jihoon’s certainty goes up from about 50% to 75%. 

 

“Do you remember anything at all? From yesterday?”

 

“I…” Jongmin stammers. “I don’t remember much, actually. But I thought that was because I drank too much on Wednesday night. I had some weird dreams though.”

 

“Weird dreams like what?”

 

“Jesus christ, kid, stop deflecting! Where the hell are you?”

 

Jihoon does a happy little dance and Woojin raises an eyebrow at him. “I told you. I am at a friend’s. I did mention that to you yesterday. You helped me clear my schedule today and told me to rest up.”

 

“What the …” Jongmin mutters. “I would never. Let me know where you are so I can come pick you up for your recording session.”

 

Welp. The price Jihoon has to pay, he guesses.

 

“I will come back by myself. Don’t worry about it.” Jihoon says into the phone and hangs up before Jongmin can hound him even more.

 

“So…..” Woojin starts. “All good?”

 

“I guess.” Jihoon looks down at his phone and says. “Unless he is like playing some 6D chess mind tricks so I’d meet him, but I do think the curse has worn off.”

 

“Back the the grind then?” Woojin smiles. He looks a little sad and Jihoon wants to crawl back onto that too small couch with him, but he knows that he cannot.

 

“I guess.”

 

“Too bad,” Woojin sighs and gets up. “I heard the breakfast spread here is amazing.”

 

“Well,” Jihoon bites at his lips. “It’s ok if we are like … a little late. Plus, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, isn’t it?”

 

“You bet.” Woojin laughs.

 

* * *

The breakfast buffet is, in fact, amazing. But what is more amazing is that nobody seems to be in immediate and sudden love with Jihoon anymore. There are a few preteen girls who gawk at him as he walks by, but that is three out of the entire full dining room. 

 

“Here’s a sentence I thought I’d never say.” Jihoon sits down in front of Woojin and says. “Thank god the breakfast lady is not in love with me.”

 

Woojin just laughs, pouring the syrup thick onto his pancakes. “How does it feel to no longer be the nation’s love anymore?”

 

“Pretty damn good, actually.” Jihoon laughs. “God, that was a nightmare. And no one, literally no one, is going to believe me if I ever tell them what happened.”

 

“Well, at least I do.” Woojin shrugs. 

 

“Always just us, huh?” Jihoon smiles and sips at his orange juice. 

 

“We should do it often, you know.” Woojin says and Jihoon almost chokes.

 

“What? Me being cursed?”

 

“No, dumbass.” Woojin rolls his eyes. “Us hanging out. Just like last night. I know we still hang out, but it’s not the same, you know.”

 

“It’s not gonna be the same anymore.” Jihoon murmurs. “You know that.”

 

“I do.” Woojin replies, his voice a little harder than before. “All I am saying is maybe it is not too bad of an idea for us to just hang around sometimes - go for a ride or just talk shit, spend time with each other.”

 

“Of course.” Jihoon nods “Why do you think I moved into your building?”

 

“So, you do admit that.” Woojin points his butter knife at Jihoon gleefully. “That you just moved in because you miss me and you want to be closer to me.”

 

“Yes.” Jihoon says and Woojin shuts up.

 

Park Jihoon uses honesty - it was 100% effective.

 

“Max got your tongue?” Jihoon smirks. “Eat your pancakes, Woojinie. You got a long way to drive me back.”

 

* * *

“You are crazy.”

 

“You are the ones who call to cancel them.” Jihoon says lightly. “You heard what the sound engineer said.”

 

Half of the recording staff cannot make it to the original schedule recording session after Jongmin cancelled on them last night, and Jihoon can’t say he is not enjoying Jongmin having a mini breakdown.

 

But still, the root cause of all this is Jihoon, so he does feel a little bad.

 

“I still need to learn my scripts, hyung. I’ll do that today instead. Maybe you can schedule it tomorrow night. I am good spending the night in the studio.”

 

“Fine.” Jongmin mumbles and stomps out, muttering to himself about how he must have lost his mind last night.

 

Well, almost everybody does, Jihoon guesses.

 

He did spend a good amount of time actually attempting to learn his lines until Daniel started texting to their group chat about the new game he is playing. Jihoon shoots the shit with Daniel for a while before remembering that he needs to change his number before Heesoo can do any more damage.

 

She did send him a text this morning about how sorry she is and that the effect of the curse seems to have been gone. Jihoon considers just cutting her off cold, but he is not that heartless, and still a little scared, so he called her first.

 

“Hello? Jihoon?” She sounds exhausted. “How are you? Everything is fine now, right?”

 

“Yeah.” Jihoon nods. “Yes, I guess. Everything is back to normal.”

 

“Ok… that’s good. I am glad, and I am really sorry.”

 

“Yeah … let’s not talk about that anymore.” Jihoon sighs. “Listen, I know you did it with good intentions, but it … it really affected me so I am not sure if I can face you for a while.”

 

“I know..” she replies softly. “Actually, you don’t have to worry about that, don’t worry. I won’t bother you anymore.”

 

“What do you mean?” Jihoon frowns.

 

“It..” she half-laughs, half-sobs into the phone. “It got me too, Jihoon. The spell. I was in love with you under the spell as well. I woke up not remembering much about yesterday. Everything is a haze and the only thing I could remember was you.”

 

“Erm.. ok?” Jihoon mutters. To be honest, he can’t really tell the difference between her being obsessed over him out of her own volition and her being obsessed over him because of a spell. “What does that have to do with anything?”

 

“It’s not supposed to work on me.” She says. “The spell. I was so damned sure of it because the spell does not work if a person is already deeply in love with you, but I was also under the spell, so maybe … maybe I did not really love you after all. I was just being ..  enamoured with you, and that puts a lot of things into perspective..”

 

She keeps talking, but Jihoon cannot focus because what the fuck.

 

_ The spell does not work if a person is already deeply in love with you. _

 

What the fuck.

 

* * *

 

Woojin does not answer his phone but that is expected because he did say he will be practicing and Woojin is the kind of person to switch his phone off during practice sessions. 

 

It is just too bad that Jihoon is going out of his mind here.

 

_ The spell does not work if a person is already deeply in love with you. _

 

Maybe Jihoon is making some presumptions here, but surely if A = B and B = C, then A = C, right? Jihoon does not need to be good at mathematics to draw a conclusion like that. 

 

_ Deeply. In Love. _

 

Jongmin somehow got his acting coach to come in for an evening session because he is a slave driver who can’t tolerate Jihoon sitting idle, but Jihoon can barely focus on the session, even after the multiple (and some truly burning) scolding remarks from the coach, so she finally lets him go after a couple of hours, obviously not seeing the point. Jongmin complains but he still drives Jihoon back, asking him to sleep off whatever funk he seems to be in, and then ready to work the next day.

 

Woojin is still not picking up his phone so Jihoon heads back to his apartment instead. Maybe it is a blessing in disguise because if Woojin is here, what would he even say?

 

_ Hey, the witch from the cult yesterday told me that you are possibly deeply in love with me? Are you? _

 

Somehow, that is not the strangest sentence he has said in the past 48 hours but he’d be saying that to Woojin. That makes all the difference.

 

Jihoon stops in front of his apartment, because there is a note taped to his door in crooked handwriting that says  _ Dog for chicken. _

 

Jihoon laughs, despite himself and heads two floors down, knocking on a familiar door. 

 

“Password?” Woojin’s thick voice comes from the other end of the door, together with Max’s soft barks and Jihoon is so in love it feels like his heart can burst into smaller hearts.

 

“I don’t have the chicken.” He says and Woojin scoffs out a  _ lame  _ before opening the door.

 

“Since you don’t have the ransom,” he says, letting Jihoon in. “Max is required to spend the night with me.”

 

“Or you can just stay over at mine.” Jihoon blurts out.

 

“Let him sleep in his own bed once in a while, Jihoon.”

 

“Hi, Youngmin hyung.”

 

Youngmin smiles at him, but does not protest any further while Woojin just leads him by hand into the bedroom he shares with Daehwi.

 

“Where’s Daehwi?”

 

“Studio.” Woojin shrugs. “So, what’s up? Everything good?”

 

“Yeah…” Jihoon starts but shakes his head. “Actually, you know what, maybe not. No.”

 

“What do you mean?” Woojin’s brows furrow. “Did something happen again?”

 

“I …” Jihoon starts. He has been thinking about this whole day. How he is going to approach this. How he is going to ask Woojin if he is in love with Jihoon. How he would even bring it up without leading them into strange awkwardness. So, in what is truly Jihoon’s fashion, he ends up blurting out. “I love you.”

 

Woojin’s eyes that are staring at him widens comically before he squeaks out. “Am I cursed?”

 

“No,” Jihoon shakes his head and laughs. “No.. Woojin. I mean it. I am telling you, as a completely sane and 100% free of influence person, that I am in love with you. For a long time. So fucking long that I don’t even know when it started.”

 

“You …” Woojin mutters. “You are serious?”

 

“I am.” Jihoon nods. “Unfortunately for the both us, I am very serious. And .. it’s ok..” Jihoon says and he means it. “It is ok if you are not ready to say it yet or hell, maybe you don’t even know it yourself, but if you are hesitating because of anything, just … just know that I love you back.”

 

Woojin stays quiet. 

 

“Did I break you?” Jihoon asks and Woojin bursts out laughing.

 

“Let’s see … my best friend got cursed with a love spell yesterday and now he is declaring that he loves me.” Woojin murmurs. “Yeah, you broke me, you asshole.”

 

“This really is magic free.” Jihoon smiles. “But it’s ok. If you want, we will just pretend this never happens. You can just think that I am still cursed and we can forget about it.”

 

Jihoon is not sure where all this braveness come from because the Jihoon a week ago would have been terrified to say all this, terrified of where this could leave him, leave them. But, just knowing that Woojin probably loves him back, Jihoon feels like he can do things he have never dreamed of.

 

“Do you want me to go?” Jihoon asks because Woojin still looks confused and shocked and lost.

 

“No.” Woojin blurts out. “Stay.”

 

“Ok.” Jihoon nods and heads towards Daehwi’s side of the room and Woojin grabs him by the hand so Jihoon stumbles down onto Woojin’s bed right next to him.

 

“Do you mean it?” Woojin asks, his hand around Jihoon’s wrist firm and heated. “Do you really love me?”

 

Jihoon feels like he can die and rise again from the intensity of Woojin’s stare. 

 

“I do.”

 

Woojin never breaks the eye contact, not even when he leans in until his lips are almost resting on top of Jihoon, and Jihoon thinks if his heart beats any harder, Youngmin is going to hear from the living room and calls an ambulance.

 

Or maybe he can stop thinking about Youngmin in the living room because Woojin had closed that tiny gap between them and is kissing him, softly but surely.

 

“Love me … like that?” Woojin pulls back and asks, and Jihoon laughs.

 

“Do you think I’d go and tell you all that if I love you like a brother, Woojin?” Jihoon tells him, and knocks his forehead into his idiot’s. “I love you exactly like that.”

 

“Ok,” Woojin swallows. “Ok… wow, that’s a lot to take in. Sorry.”

 

“Why?” Jihoon asks. “Do you not want me to be?”

 

“Are you kidding me?” Woojin blurts out. “Jihoon, I’ve liked you ever since you smiled me that day across the room when we first signed up for Produce.”

 

Jihoon would have laughed at the way Woojin clasped his hand over his mouth in horror if it weren’t for his damned beating heart. 

 

Jihoon does not ask why Woojin hasn’t said anything because he knows.

 

“Do you .. erm …” Jihoon says, his hands are still gripping onto the neck of Woojin’s shirt and he is half tempted to just pull Woojin back in, but he resits. For now. “... want to do something about that?”

 

“You mean like … dating?” Woojin asks back, and honest to god, blushes. If Jihoon wasn’t so in love, he’d have make fun on Woojin for it. “Boyfriends? Are you not worried about how things are gonna be?”

 

“I am,” Jihoon nods. He thinks he owes the both of them a little honesty. “But to  be honest, I got cursed … like for real, magic-spell cursed yesterday, so I feel like nothing any worse can happen to me.”

 

“Don’t jinx it.” Woojin mutters, and Jihoon laughs.

 

“You? What about you? What do you want us to be?”

 

“Me?” Woojin blinks. “Jihoon, you know that I’ll do whatever you want me to. I think … it might be my own curse.”

 

“God, you are so …” Jihoon starts, but he cannot find the words so he settles on just kissing Woojin again, and Woojin does not seem like he has any complaint about it.

 

They sit there and kiss like they’ve got all the times in the world, slow and exploratory and so frustratingly careful because this is a new land - foreign to the both of them, but Jihoon think it’d be alright to do it together. Woojin hands come around his body and rest on Jihoon’s shoulder blades like he is pulling Jihoon in together until Jihoon melts into him, Jihoon lets him, kissing him back with everything that had been buried deep inside him long ago. Turns out Jihoon was right to think that he wouldn’t be able to control himself once he lets it go. 

 

Jihoon lets Woojin explore the ins and outs of his lips right up until soft whines and tiny paws force Jihoon to divert his attention. Even Woojin stops moving his lips over Jihoon and looks down.

 

“Right..” Woojin says, panting a little, but his hand is still warm on Jihoon’s cheek. “... maye not in front of our kid.”

 

“Still not your kid.” Jihoon laughs and picks up Max, who barks happily now that the attention of the room is on him. 

 

“Even now?” Woojin asks, affronted.

 

“Even now.” Jihoon sticks a tongue out.

 

Woojin laughs and offers his finger for Max to lick on. “So … how many kisses would it take for me to get at least half custody then?”

 

“I don’t know yet.” Jihoon mumbles and leans back until he is resting on Woojin’s chest. Woojin snakes his free arm around Jihoon and Jihoon signs into the thin cotton shirt. “But I’ll let you know when it does, so keep going.”

 

“Noted.” Woojin answers, a soft kiss pressed onto Jihoon’s forehead before his chin comes to rest on top of Jihoon’s head.

 

Maybe, curses are not that bad after all. 


End file.
